1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fiber lubricants, and more particularly relates to fiber lubricants that contain an acrylamidoalkane sulfonic acid polymer additive.
2. Discussion of Related Art:
Textile yarns are customarily treated before processing to reduce fiber-to-metal friction, i.e., that friction generated between the moving yarn and the metal elements of knitting or other processing apparatus. While untreated yarns may have a standard coefficient of friction (.mu.) of 0.250 or higher, fiber lubricants in general use substantially reduce this friction level.
The standard low friction lubricant for textile spun yarns is a paraffin or polyethylene wax-emulsion lubricant of the type commercially available as Stantex W.E. 567.TM., a product of Henkel Corp., Charlotte, NC. While lubricants of this type have proved broadly useful in a variety of conventional textile applications to attain acceptably low yarn friction levels, specialized technology has made greater demands on fiber-to-metal lubricants. In particular, high-speed knitting apparatus used to knit cotton yarn at yarn speeds of from about 800 to 1200 rpm or m/min has generated friction levels which are not satisfactorily reduced by these standard wax-emulsion type lubricants. This problem is exacerbated when textile yarns are wet-processed, as is frequently the case, since processing friction levels increase as the yarn moisture level rises. This effect is particularly pronounced with wet cotton yarn.
It is thus desirable to provide an improved lubricant for textile yarns to reduce fiber-to-metal friction during processing, and, in particular, to provide a lubricant which imparts substantially uniform low yarn friction effects regardless of yarn moisture level.